53, First time Rocketeer

[Bartlebear]

Hi there.

when I was 10 or so I saw an Estes catalog that had a Star Wars X-Wing and Darth Vader Tie fighter in it. It totally captured my imagination. Unfortunately it didn’t capture my wallet as I was broke.

Fast forward to today and my son and I launched the Estes Alpha III and Flip Flyer. He’s cooled on it but I am just getting started! I hope to put up a build thread soon for my first rocket ever.

I’m out here in Victoria on Vancouver Island. hope I’ll meet some of you at a launch sometime.

 

[samb]

Welcome to the party Bartlebear. Something like this?



http://www.ninfinger.org/rockets/nostalgia/78estcov.html

I hope your son comes around if you stay with it. Looking forward to your build thread.

 

[smstachwick]

Hello sir!

That Alpha III is quite something, my first rocket, in fact. It’s difficult to beat as a first-time kit build.

About the only other one I’d suggest you look at is the Estes Cadet. It’s inexpensive, cool-looking, and about as simple a build as you can get while still credibly being called a kit. Send it up on an A8-3 for a test flight, then try some bigger motors to open up the throttle as far as you dare.

 

[crossfire]

Welcome to the hobby

 

[OverTheTop]

Welcome to the forum! Victoria is a nice spot. Visited there a while back.

 

[Bartlebear]

Welcome to the party Bartlebear. Something like this?

View attachment 516174

http://www.ninfinger.org/rockets/nostalgia/78estcov.html

I hope your son comes around if you stay with it. Looking forward to your build thread.

 

[neil_w]

Hmm, "First Time Rocketeer" doesn't have a nice pronounceable acronym. And you already have "Bar" in your name, so...

I suggest you give up the hobby for a week, and then come back and call yourself a BAR. It will be much simpler for all of us.





(Welcome!)

 

[Sandy H.]

Hmm, "First Time Rocketeer" doesn't have a nice pronounceable acronym. And you already have "Bar" in your name, so...

I suggest you give up the hobby for a week, and then come back and call yourself a BAR. It will be much simpler for all of us.





(Welcome!)

In highschool, they used to have 'college track' or 'vocational track' programs, depending on which direction you were leaning. Maybe our new friend is on the 'First Adult Rocketeer Track.'

Welcome!!!

Sandy.

 

[Blast it Tom!]

Welcome, @Bartlebear! I've only been back at it since Jan. 2020. I try to keep the grandkids interested by progressively introducing new, interesting things, like tumble recovery, streamer recovery, odd kits like the Birdie and Breakaway from Odd'l Rockets - anything to break the "woosh-pop-drop" cycle up a little bit! I hope to do a boost glider soon, but need a bigger field. I am also introducing electronics very slowly... but a Flightsketch Mini is only $30 and fits in most rockets and gives a great record of your flight. So hopefully these suggestions can help fire his young mind back up. Anything to keep them outdoors and their minds and hands engaged in something fun and technical at the same time!

 

[Blast it Tom!]

Hmm, "First Time Rocketeer" doesn't have a nice pronounceable acronym. And you already have "Bar" in your name, so...

I suggest you give up the hobby for a week, and then come back and call yourself a BAR. It will be much simpler for all of us.

Hmm. Well he isn't as old as I am, or many of us are, but for an acronym how about First Attempter at Rocket Technology?

 

[Hobie1dog]

Welcome to the forum, put up pictures for us

 

[Bartlebear]

In highschool, they used to have 'college track' or 'vocational track' programs, depending on which direction you were leaning. Maybe our new friend is on the 'First Adult Rocketeer Track.'

Welcome!!!

Sandy.

I see what you did there….

 

[Bartlebear]

Welcome to the forum, put up pictures for us

They’re coming!

 

[fyrwrxz]

Never let anyone else tell you how to enjoy this hobby, that's rule number one. Rule number two is Stay Safe. We're all pretty much committed to preserving our hard won freedom to fly rockets and if in doubt, just post here. Rule number three is "there is no such thing as a dumb question". We may have dumb answers, but that's the bell curve at work. Welcome to the smoke, good chutes!

 

[DigBaddy]

Welcome!!

 

[Blast it Tom!]

I'm an idiot. Didn't see that @Sandy H. beat me to the punch... and did a better job as well!

But welcome again ! How old is your son?

 

[neil_w]

I try to keep the grandkids interested by progressively introducing new, interesting things, like tumble recovery, streamer recovery, odd kits like the Birdie and Breakaway from Odd'l Rockets - anything to break the "woosh-pop-drop" cycle up a little bit!

Helps to keep the Old Dudes interested as well.... Alternate recovery rockets make up a minority of my fleet and flights, but I try to always bring one or two with me to launches. I am especially enthusiastic about the sub-category of these rockets that require no prep, of which my current favorites are Estes Quinstar, Odd'l Cyclone, and my modified Estes Mini A Heli.

 

[Bartlebear]

I'm an idiot. Didn't see that @Sandy H. beat me to the punch... and did a better job as well!

But welcome again ! How old is your son?

14. More interested in Cadets right niw which is fine. He’ll join me for the launch I’m sure.

 

[Blast it Tom!]

14. More interested in Cadets right niw which is fine. He’ll join me for the launch I’m sure.

Glad he's in Cadets! You know, funny, but forgot about my beloved "Pigasus", another Odd'l Rocket that the kids think is great. And thanks to @neil_w as I do want to build a helicopter recovery rocket rocket as well.

 

[Gerry M]

Welcome Bartlebear and good luck. I'm also in Victoria and just launched my Athena for the first time (my first and only rocket launch). I have a few years on you (like 25) which I guess proves that you're never too old to get into this hobby and have some fun...

 

[smstachwick]

Welcome Bartlebear and good luck. I'm also in Victoria and just launched my Athena for the first time (my first and only rocket launch). I have a few years on you (like 25) which I guess proves that you're never too old to get into this hobby and have some fun...

I can’t say I’ve ever seen an Athena with that sticker design before. How old is that one?

 

[Bartlebear]

Welcome Bartlebear and good luck. I'm also in Victoria and just launched my Athena for the first time (my first and only rocket launch). I have a few years on you (like 25) which I guess proves that you're never too old to get into this hobby and have some fun...

Very nice! Where did you launch from?

 

[Gerry M]

I can’t say I’ve ever seen an Athena with that sticker design before. How old is that one?

Very new, part of a starter kit purchased at the local hobby store a couple of months ago.
She flew from a local school yard...

 

[Bat-mite]

Welcome. With time and a little money, there is no limit to what you can accomplish in rocketry these days. Whether it is skill-building models, scaling up or down, sport launching, experimental propellants, high power certification, or back yard a motor flights, the sky is the limit.

 

[Ronz Rocketz]

Hi there.

when I was 10 or so I saw an Estes catalog that had a Star Wars X-Wing and Darth Vader Tie fighter in it. It totally captured my imagination. Unfortunately it didn’t capture my wallet as I was broke.

Fast forward to today and my son and I launched the Estes Alpha III and Flip Flyer. He’s cooled on it but I am just getting started! I hope to put up a build thread soon for my first rocket ever.

I’m out here in Victoria on Vancouver Island. hope I’ll meet some of you at a launch sometime.

Gary has been holding on to this for a while.